Foldable reclining rocking chair



Sept. 13, 1955 B. F. DOWLER 2,717,630

FOLDABLE RECLINING ROCKING CHAIR Filed June 4, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR BURNELL F. DOWL ER ATTORNEY Sept. 13, 1955 B. F. DOWLERFOLDABLE RECLINING ROCKING CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 4, 1954 R OT N E V m BURNELL E DOWLER ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice2,717,630 Patented Sept. 13, 1955 FGLDABLE RECLENHNG ROCKENG CHAIRBurnell F. Dowler, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Application June 4, 1954, Serial No. 434,475

10 Claims. (Cl. 155-106) This invention relates to furniture, and moreparticularly to a foldable reclining rocking chair of the type commonlyknown as lawn chairs or steamer chairs.

Chairs of this general type have been in relatively common use but manyof these, while sufiiciently stable when new, after a short period ofuse develop looseness at the various joints, resulting in an extremelyunstable structure which could well become dangerous to the occupant.Furthermore, many of these prior art chairs of this gen-- eralcharacter, while foldable, could not be collapsed into a space ofminimum dimensions in which the maximum thickness was substantially thesum of the width of certain of the frame members. Also, prior art chairsof this general character were often provided with frames or bases whichwere sufliciently stable when the occupant was sitting substantiallyupright, but in structures where the chair might be tilted back to anextreme degree where the occupant was in a substantially prone positionthe stability of the frame was materially reduced, and furthermore theseframes were not constructed in such a manner as to provide sufiicientstrength in this position of the chair.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a foldablereclining rocking chair which may be tilted from a position in which theoccupant is substantialiy upright to a position in which the occupant issubstantially prone.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a foldablereclining rocking chair in which the framework comprising the base ofthe chair is of such formation that substantially the same stability andstrength is provided regardless of the position of the occupant of thechair.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a foldablereclining rocking chair in which the stresses developed during usethereof are substantially distributed over the entire base framework,thereby resulting in extreme stability regardless of theposition oftheoccupant of the chair.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a foldable recliningrocking chair in which stability of the framework .is maintained eventhough appreciable looseness may develop in certain of the joints.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a foldablereclining rocking chair which, when collapsed, is of a thickness ofsubstantially the sum of the width of certain of the frame members.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a foldablereclining rocking chair which may be economically manufactured fromrelatively inexpensive, lightweight wood or other suitable members andwhich may have sufficient strength to support any occupant and maintainstability regardless of the position of such occupant.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a foldable recliningrocking chair which may be erected or folded without the use of toolsand which, when erected,

will maintain its position and stability without regard .for

the weight of the occupant or his position therein.

Cir

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a chair constructed in accordancewith this invention with the framework in erected position, and with thechair positioned for upright seating of the occupant;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective taken from a somewhat diiferentviewpoint from Fig. 1 and showing the'chair in position for supportingan occupant in substantially prone position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the chair of this invention infolded or collapsed condition;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the joints betweencertain of the frame membersand one of the arm-rests; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the foldable footrest and the manner of connecting the same to a portion of the chairframework.

With continued reference to the drawing, there is shown a chairconstructed in accordance with this invention which may well include abase framework which serves to support an occupant-supporting framework11. The base framework 10 may well comprise spaced, substantiallyhorizontal lower side bars 12 and 13, connected by cross members 14 and15. Cross member 14 may be positioned substantially adjacent one end ofthe side bars 12 and 13, and cross bar may be positioned substantiallymidway of the length of the side bars 1'2and 13. The cross bar 14 mayextend outwardly of the side bars 12 and 13 and secured to the outwardlyextending ends of such cross bar 14 are upwardly extending members 15and 17, which are pivotally secured at their upper ends to downwardlyextending portions 18 and 19 of arm rests and 21. The bar 14 isrotatably mounted in the side bars 12 and 13 and consequently theupwardly extending members 16 and 17 are pivotally mounted at both theirlower and upper ends.

A second pairof upwardly extending members 22 and 23 are fixed to theoutwardly extending ends of cross bar 15 and the members 22 and 23 arealso pivotally connected at their upper ends to the downwardly extendingportions 18 and 19 of the arm rests 20 and .21, the upwardly extendingmembers 16 and 22 and 17 and 23 being substantially parallel. As shownin Figs. 1 and 2, the upwardly extending members together with the sidebars 12 and 13 and the arm rests 20 and 21 substantially provide aparallelogram on each side of the chair structure, which may be erectedto the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or may be collapsed downwardly tothe position shown in Fig. 3.

Also pivotally secured to the downwardly extending portions 18 and 19 ofthe arm rests 20 and 21 at the same point as the upwardly extendingmembers 22 and 23, are brace members 24 and 25, which are providedadjacent their lower ends with a connecting crossbar 26. Also, the bracemembers 24 and 25 may be further strengthened by cross braces 27 and 28extending diagonally and secured at their ends to the brace members 24and 25. The side bars 12 and 13 are provided at the ends thereofopposite from the cross bar 14 with upwardly opening notches 29 and 30which, when the chair .is in the erected position shown in Figs. 1 and2, serve to receive the cross bar 26 on the brace members 24 and 25,which thus hold the base framework 10 in upright or erected position.

As will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2, the upwardlyextending members 22 and 23 together with the brace members 24 and 25and a portion of the side bars 12 and 13 therebetween, provide what maybe termed an A-frame and as will be hereinafter pointed out, thisA-frame is intended to receive the major portion of the downward loadimposed on the base framework by the occupant of the chair.

The occupant-supporting framework 11 may well comprise side members 31and 32 connected at their ends by cross members 33 and 34, the sidemembers 31 and 32 being pivotally mounted at 35 intermediate their endson the same pivot as upwardly extending members 22 and 23 and bracemembers 24 and 25 of the base framework 10. Downwardly extending linkmembers 36 and 37 are pivotally mounted at 33 and 39, which pointscorrespond with the pivotal mounting of upwardly extending members 16and 17 to the downwardly extending portions 18 and 19 of the arm rests2t and 21, and the link members 36 and 37 are pivotally connected attheir lower ends by a cross bar 4% which is also connected to side rails41 and 42 pivotally connected to the cross bar 34 at the lower ends ofside members 31 and 32.

Also extending between the link members 36 and 37 spaced from the upperends thereof, is a cross member 43 and extending over this cross member43 is an elon- 3 gated strip of fabric material 44, which may be securedat its upper end to cross member 33 and at its lower end to cross member40. The fabric strip 44 provides a convenient and comfortable supportfor the occupant of the chair, and obviously will fully and firmlysupport and at the same time conform to the contours of such occupant.This fabric supporting strip 44 is, of course, substantially similar tothe body-supporting portion of the conventional lawn or steamer chair.

Since it is desirable to provide a foot rest for the occupant of thechair of this invention, such foot rest may well take the form ofrelatively short side supports 45 and 46 connected at their outer endsby a foot-supporting bar 47 and pivotally mounted at their inner ends onthe cross member 40, to which is attached the lower end of flexiblefabric strip 44. As best shown in Fig. 5, the side supports 45 and 46 ofthe foot rest are provided adjacent their inner ends each with arecessed portion having a bevelled edge 48 which, when in the positionshown in Fig. 5, engages a corresponding beveled edge on the forwardends of each of the side members 41 and 42, which serve to preventfurther downward movement of the side supports 45 and 46 and therebyfirmly support the feet of the occupant. However, when desired the sidesupports 45 and 46 together with the bar 47 may be folded upwardly tothe position shown in dotted 'lines in Fig. 1, and this further permitsfolding or collapse of the chair into a package of minimum dimensions.

As will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2, the entireoccupant-supporting framework 11 pivots about the pivot points and maybe moved from an upright position, as shown in Fig. 1, to substantiallya prone position, as shown in Fig. 2. Due to the parallelogramarrangement of the framework, the side members 41 and 42 will maintainsubstantially a horizontal position regardless of the location of theoccupant-supporting framework 11. In order to prevent pivotal movementof such framework beyond a certain point, and to prevent the occupantfrom falling out of the chair when moving backward to a prone position,a cross bar 4% may be secured to the upwardly extending members 16 and17, and this cross bar 49 serves as a stop member engaging the sidemembers 41 and 4-2 when the occupant-supporting framework is in theposition shown in Fig. 2.

With the chair in upright position as shown in Pi g. l, the loadoccasioned by the occupant of the chair is distributed between theupwardly extending members 16 and 17 and the A-frarne members formed bythe members 22, 23, 24 and 25. However, when the occupant-supportingframework 11 is moved to the position as shown in Fig. 2, the weight isstill distributed between all of these members but a larger portionthereof is carried by the A-frame members. Since such a framework isinherently very stable and further since the side bars 12 and 13 arerelatively long and extend under a relatively large portion of thechair, a firm support is provided and there is no danger of the chairtipping over backward as would be the case if the downward load weremerely carried by a relatively short base framework made up, forinstance, by the upwardly extending members 16, 17, 22 and 23. In thismanner a firm and stable support for the occupant-supporting framework11 is provided, regardless of the position of such framework.

The major portion of the stability and strength described above isprovided by the A-frame made up of the upwardly extending members 22 and23 and brace members 24 and 25, and it is to be noted that the greaterthe downward load on this framework, the greater the holding power ofthe notches 29 and 30 in engagement with the cross bar 26. This providesmeans for preventing collapse of the chair with possible injury to theoccupant thereof. It is also to be noted that any tendency for theparallelogram frame formed by the upwardly extending members 16 and 17and 22 and 23 is prevented by engagement of the cross bar 26 with thenotches 29 and 39, and this also adds to the holding power of suchnotches.

When it is desired to fold or collapse the chair to the position shownin Fig. 3, it is only necessary to disengage the cross bar 26 from thenotches 2 and 30, whereupon the brace members 24 and 25 may be moved toa position substantially parallel with the side members 31 and 32 of theoccupant-supporting frame 11, and the upwardly extending members 16 and17, 22 and 23, will pivot downwardly and into overlapping, substantiallyparallel relationship with the side bars 12 and 13. In order to permitfurther and substantially complete folding of the framework, the sidemembers 41 and 42 are provided with notches 50 and 51 which, as shown inFig.

3, serve to receive the cross bar 49 which would otherwise engage theside members 41 and 42 and prevent complete folding or collapse of thechair. Erection of the chair is accomplished simply by moving the framemembers apart and re-engaging the cross bar 26 in the notches 29 and 30.

It will thus be seen that by the above described invention, there hasbeen provided a relatively lightweight, inexpensively constructed chairwhich will permit the occupant thereof to rock in a substantiallyupright position or to occupy a substantially prone position, and inwhich the base framework provides a high degree of strength andstability while at the same time permitting substantially folding orcollapsing of the chair. It will also be seen that the strength andstability of the structure of this invention will be maintained eventhough some play or looseness develops in the various pivot points orjoints between the members forming the framework.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isshown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only asindicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and anoccupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base framecomprising spaced horizontally disposed side bars, a cross barconnecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured tosaid side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of framemembers pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the lengththereof, spaced substantially parallel horizontally disposed arm rests,said first and second pairs of frame members being pivotally secured tosaid arm rests, a pair of brace members pivotally secured at one end tosaid arm rests at the points of attachment thereto of said second pairof frame members, a cross bar adjacent the opposite ends of said barsadjacent the opposite ends thereof receiving said cross bar to maintainsaid base frame in erected condition, said second pair of frame membersand said brace members providing A-frames, said occupant-supportingframe being pivotally mounted at theapex of each said A-frame and at thepoints :of attachment .of said first pair of frame members to said .armrests whereby when said occupant-supporting frame is in .uprightposition the load will be distributed over the entire base frame and assaid occupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position themajor portion of the load :will be carried by said A-frames therebymaintaining the rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1 in which said occupant-supportingframe includes parallel side members connected by across member andafoot rest, said foot rest having side supports connected at their .innerends to said cross member and connected at their outer ends to afoot-supporting bar, said footrest being maintained in a substantiallyhorizontal position "by cooperating means on the ends of said parallelside members and the inner ends of said side supports regardless of theposition of said occupant-supporting frame.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2 in which said side supports of saidfoot rest are pivotally connected to said cross member so as to foldupwardly with respect thereto.

4. A structure as defined in claim 1 in which said base frame isprovided with a stop member engageable by said occupant-supporting framewhereby movement of said occupant-supporting frame beyond apredetermined position is prevented.

5. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and anoccupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base framecomprising spaced horizontally disposed side bars, a cross barconnecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured tosaid side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of framemembers pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the lengththereof, arm rests, said first and second pairs of frame members beingpivotally secured to said arm rests, a pair of brace members pivotallysecured at one end to said arm rests at the points of attachment theretoof said second pair of frame members, a cross bar adjacent the oppositeends of said brace members, notches in the upper edges of said side barsadjacent the opposite ends thereof receiving said cross bar to maintainsaid base frame in erected condition, said second pair of frame membersand said brace members providing A-frames, said occupant-supportingframe being pivotally mounted at the apex of each said A-frame and atthe points of attachment of said first pair of frame members to said armrests whereby when said occupant-supporting frame is in upright positionthe load will be distributed over the entire base frame and as saidoccupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position the majorportion of the load will be carried by said A-frames thereby maintainingthe rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

6. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and anoccupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base framecomprising spaced horizontally disposed side bars, a cross barconnecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured tosaid side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of framemembers pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the lengththereof, arm rests, said first and second pairs of frame members beingpivotally secured to said arm rests, a pair of brace members pivotallysecured at one end to said arm rests at the points of attachment theretoof said second pair of frame members, a cross bar adjacent the oppositeends of said brace members, means on said side bars adjacent theopposite ends thereof engaging said cross bar to maintain said baseframe in erected condition, said second pair of frame members and saidbrace members providing A-frames, said occupant-supporting frame beingpivotally mounted at the apex of each said A-frame and at the points ofattachment of. said first pair of frame members to said arm restswhereby when said occupantsupporting frame is in upright position theload will be distributed over the entire base frame and as saidoccupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position the majorportion of the load will be carried by said A-frames thereby maintainingthe rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

7. ,A foldable reclining rocking chair .comprising a base frame and anoccupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base framecomprising spaced horizontally disposed side bars, a cross barconnecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured tosaid side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of framemembers pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the lengththereof, spaced arm rests, said first and second pairs of frame members'beingpivotally secured to said arm rests, a pair of brace memberspivotally secured at one end to said arm rests at the points ofattachment thereto of said second pair of frame members, means on saidside bars adjacent the opposite ends thereof engaging means on saidbrace members to maintain said base frame in erected condition, saidsecond pair of frame members and said brace members providing A-frames,said occupant-supporting frame being pivotally mounted at the apex ofeach said A-frame and at the points of attachment of said first pair offrame members to said arm rests whereby when said occupant-supportingframe is in upright position the load will be distributed over theentire base frame and as said occupant-supporting frame approaches ahorizontal position the major portion of the load will be carried bysaid A-frames thereby maintaining the rigidity and stability of theentire structure.

8. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and anoccupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base framecomprising spaced horizontally disposed side bars, a cross barconnecting said side bars, a pair of frame members pivotally secured tosaid side bars adjacent one end of the latter, a second pair of framemembers pivotally secured to said side bars intermediate the lengththereof, spaced arm rests, said first and second pairs of frame membersbeing pivotally secured to said arm rests, a pair of brace memberspivotally secured at one end to said arm rests at the points ofattachment thereto of said second pair of frame members, means on saidside bars engaging means on said brace members to maintain said baseframe in erected condition, said second pair of frame members and saidbrace members providing A-frames, said occupant-supporting frame beingpivotally mounted at the apex of each said A-frame and at the points ofattachment of said first pair of frame members to said arm rests wherebywhen said occupant-supporting frame is in upright position the load willbe distributed over the entire base frame and as saidoccupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position the majorportion of the load will be carried by said A-frarnes therebymaintaining the rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

9. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and anoccupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base framecomprising spaced side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars, apair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars adjacent oneend of the latter, a second pair of frame members pivotally secured tosaid side bars intermediate the length thereof, spaced arm rests, saidfirst and second pairs of frame members being pivotally secured to saidarm rests, brace means pivotally secured at one end to said arm rests atthe points of attachment thereto of said second pair of frame members,means on said side bars engaging said brace means to maintain said baseframe in erected condition, said second pair of frame members and saidbrace means providing A-frames, said occupant-supporting frame beingpivotally mounted at the apex of each said A-frame and at the points ofattachment of said first pair of frame members to said arm rests wherebywhen said occupant-supporting frame is in upright position the load willbe distributed over the entire base frame and as saidoccupant-supporting frame approaches a horizontal position the majorportion of the load will be carried by said A-frames thereby maintainingthe rigidity and stability of the entire structure.

10. A foldable reclining rocking chair comprising a base frame and anoccupant-supporting frame pivotally mounted thereon, said base framecomprising spaced side bars, a cross bar connecting said side bars, apair of frame members pivotally secured to said side bars adjacent oneend of the latter, a second pair of frame members pivotally secured tosaid side bars intermediate the length thereof, spaced arm rests, saidfirst and second pairs of frame members being pivotally secured to saidarm rests, brace means pivotally secured at one end to said arm rests atthe point of attachment thereto of said second pair of frame members,means on said side bars engaging said brace means to maintain said baseframe in erected condition, said second pair of frame members and saidbrace means providing A-frames, said occupant-supporting frame beingpivotally mounted at the apex of each said A-frame and to said arm restsat a point thereonspaced from said apex whereby when saidoccupant-supporting frame is in upright position the load will bedistributed over the entire base frame and as said occupant-supportingframe approaches a horizontal position the major portion of the loadwill be carried by said A-frames thereby maintaining the rigidity andstability of the entire structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS523,049 Miller July 17, 1894 2,113,145 Van Wyck Apr. 5, 1938 FOREIGNPATENTS 174,973 Switzerland June 17, 1935 660,904 France Feb. 26, 1929

